1. Field of Technology
The present invention relates to a media processing apparatus such as a hybrid check processing apparatus capable of magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) processing of magnetic ink characters on a check or other negotiable instrument, as well as scanning and imaging the printed side of the same negotiable instrument, and to a scanner unit used in this media processing apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Checks are used for payment in business transactions, retail store purchases, restaurants, and other venues. A bank code, account number, and other information is printed in magnetic ink characters in a specific location on each check. In a retail purchase, for example, the payer writes the payee and the check amount in both numbers and words, then signs and gives the check to the checkout clerk. The store reads the bank code, account number, and other information printed in magnetic ink characters and uses this information to query the bank or check clearinghouse to determine if the check is valid. If the check is valid, the check is accepted from the customer and an endorsement is recorded on the back of the check.
After in-store processing, the check is delivered to the bank or clearinghouse for final transaction processing. More recently, electronic data representing the transaction content and a digital image captured by scanning the check after all transaction information is completed is electrically transmitted to the bank or clearinghouse, thus enabling more efficient transaction processing. Hybrid processing apparatuses that can efficiently read the magnetic ink characters as well as image the check are also available. See, for example, JP-A-2003-6713.
However, when digital data is exchanged instead of physically transporting the check, images of both front and back sides of the check must be captured precisely and transmitted because of the need to precisely and accurately identify each check. When an apparatus having only one scanner is used, such as with the hybrid processing apparatus taught in JP-A-2003-6713, the check must be inserted once to scan one side and then reinserted to scan the other side in order to image both sides of the check. This is time consuming and tedious. Furthermore, this process is also error prone because operator intervention is required to insert the check twice to scan both sides. The same side of the check could thus be easily accidentally scanned twice, scanning the second side could be forgotten, a different check could be inserted for the second scan, and other mistakes can be easily made. In addition to not acquiring both of the check images (i.e., front and back side images) that are required for electronic check processing by the clearinghouse, another problem with the foregoing method is that wrong image data could be generated.
A media processing apparatus according to the present invention eliminates such tedious operation and thus reduces the likelihood of operating errors by making it possible to image both sides of a check, as well as read magnetic ink characters printed thereon, with the operator inserting each check only once for processing.